The present invention relates to methods for appliquxc3xa9ing designs and/or names onto fabric items, such as clothing and accessories, and more particularly relates to methods for producing raised appliquxc3xa9s on a substrate and articles therefrom.
In the clothing and accessory industry, appliquxc3xa9ing sports team names, brand names, and personalization and the like has become popular. Hats, sweatshirts, jackets, and gym bags are just examples of the types of items that are embroidered with designs or names. Appliquxc3xa9s that are especially desirable are those that are aesthetic, high quality, durable, and unique.
Recently, the standards for desirable appliquxc3xa9 and embroidery on garments and other consumer goods have risen due to the advancement in the machine technology. As the embroidering machines have become more and more computer controlled, such that a consistent product is possible, the ornamental aspects of the embroidery have also advanced.
Sports promotions, corporate clothing, and other promotional goods are increasingly looking for more and more attractive decorations thereon. Even restaurants and theme parks are able to sell T-shirts, polo shirts, hats and the like, so long as their logos and brandings are prominently displayed on the clothing, etc. The current trend in the industry is that anything with a name or logo emblazoned on it will sell in great quantities. Entire stores have been set up just to sell licensed Disney goods, and sport-related paraphernalia, among others. The malls are replete with logo-based merchandise in the stores, and the logo-bearing articles are the big sellers.
Consequently, it has become more and more attractive for the adornment companies to have bigger and better means for decorating clothing and other articles. Embroidery is the method of choice, and is practiced more and more with the new machines. However, there is always room for improvement. As a matter of fact, there is a desire by consumers to have more complicated embroidery, with more colors and more artistic license.
Therefore, it would be an advantage to the industry to have an even more attractive means and method for embroidery even fancier logos and artistic designs onto a substrate, whether that substrate is a garment, a backpack, a hat, or any other desirable article.
In accordance with achieving the above-described advantage, the present invention includes a method for applying a fancy raised appliquxc3xa9 with a great deal of embroidery onto a substrate in a way that provides uniqueness, quality, aesthetics, and durability to the appliquxc3xa9. The resulting appliquxc3xa9 is a three dimensional raised appliquxc3xa9 which is lifted up above the height of the fabric, yet has a smooth transition from the fabric to the appliquxc3xa9. Satin stitching embroidery acts to hold down and secure the raised appliquxc3xa9 to the substrate, while it completely sculpts out the design and defines the perimeter of the design.
Generally, the desired artwork is made and the design is then digitized by any known means, such as computer scanning. Once the design is digitized, that information may be preferably transferred to a modern computer controlled stitching machine. Although, not absolutely necessary to practice the present invention, the present method preferably utilizes the digitized format and first outlines the placement of the appliquxc3xa9 on the desired substrate (such as a hat or jacket), preferably by stitching, but any other known means may be employed, such as printing on the substrate with a paint or other marking.
Then, the same digitized information may be used as a xe2x80x9ccut filexe2x80x9d on a computerized cutting machine to cut out the desired design. Then, a piece of polyfoam or other wadding material capable of raising the appliquxc3xa9 (hereinafter generically referred to as xe2x80x9cpolyfoamxe2x80x9d), may either be first adhered to the substrate at the outlined location, or the polyfoam may be first adhered to a piece of the appliquxc3xa9 fabric in the approximate shape of the desired appliquxc3xa9, and then both pieces put down together. It is best for the cutting procedure if the polyfoam is already adhered to the appliquxc3xa9 material prior to the cutting, so that steps are eliminated and they are both exactly the same shape.
Although the terms xe2x80x9cappliquxc3xa9 fabricxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cappliquxc3xa9 materialxe2x80x9d may be used throughout this text, material other than fabric may be used, such as suede, leather, vinyl, and other heavy materials, even including plastic, so long as it can endure the appliquxc3xa9 method and final use of the item which has been appliquxc3xa9d. After the appliquxc3xa9 fabric and polyfoam have been attached to the substrate, the appliquxc3xa9 fabric and polyfoam are preferably tacked down with stitches to facilitate the embroidery stitching thereafter. Then, the appliquxc3xa9 fabric piece is embroidered around the edges, overlapping the edge of the appliquxc3xa9 fabric piece. Additional embroidery may be added to either the appliquxc3xa9 or in the vicinity of the appliquxc3xa9 to produce the desired end result. The polyfoam raises up the appliquxc3xa9, and the surrounding embroidery acts to sculpt the design, resulting in a very attractive decoration on the substrate.